Your view...

So, although I already have somewhat of an opinion formed, I would like to know what you all think. Maybe we can start a bit of a debate! Do you think....

Drug addicts are horrible people and should be punished.


Drug addicts are not necessarily bad people but drugs are bad and they just get tangled up in a bad situation.

*Also, does your opinion include alcoholics?

Let me know!

New Plan: Help in Motion

So, this is my new plan. As you may have already read, I accidentally created two blog spots and I was going to give up on this one, but I've decided to put it to good use. As many of my friends and family know I am very much into social issues! I am interested in a variety of issues such as drugs and alcohol abuse/dependency, domestic violence, sexual assualt, rape, mental health, homelessness, the needy, and gender, racial, (etc.) discrimination, to name a few. These are things I am pretty passionate about. Some people are into saving the planet, etc., I am into saving the people. Both good causes, both necessary, just depends on where your passion is. Someday, I think I would like to work as an activist, and maybe that's what beginning of this column is, just one small step towards that goal. I know it will be worthwhile once I get one or two people reading it. For right now, though, this is just for me, which would explain my grammar (I do have a master's degree, I should know better!) These are just my thoughts!

So, the plan is that every so often I intend to post something about one of these issues and please, feel free to comment (when people start reading this) as that will make for more education, to more people. Today's issue is Domestic Violence. This is an issue that has plagued at least one person I am close to and is beginning with someone else. My fear is that I know how this situation is going to end up and I want to make sure that everyone comes out safe. An abusive person, not necessarily a man, is also not necessarily someone who hits. As in the case that I know, there was/is some hitting, but the abuse is more emotional and cruelty. An abusive person is conrolling, disrespectful, insulting, demeaning, and sometimes vengeful. The abuser does not even have to raise his or her voice, telling someone that they are worthless or other insults can actually be more hurtful when it is said by someone who is calm. People often do not realize this and think that perhaps it is not abuse because their partner doesn't yell or leave bruises. The point is, that it is abuse and this will never stop unless there is something forcing it too. And, just because it hasn't happened in however many weeks/months/years does not mean that it will never happen again, so don't bank on the fact that they have changed and that it will get better if you do everything right, because the problem is not you or the situation, it's them. It's a cycle, it will continue, regardless of what you do!

Some important name dropping, you could say. If you find that you or someone you know is in this situation, please contact your local domestic violence program. At the very least, they are someone to lean on, get support, and learn from. If you do not know who to contact, the National Domestic Violence Hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). If you have access to a computer, the web address is http://www.ndvh.org/index.php however, if the abuser has access to this computer also, there is the possibility that they could see that you have visited this site. Please be careful! In addition, I have attended a domestic violence conference and read a wonderful book by a man named Lundy Bancroft. I found this to be very informative and refer to it often. Through this reading I can pinpoint that the abuser in the relationship in question has characteristcs of a demand man and the water torturer, first and foremost, mixed with definite substance abuse and some traits of Mr. Sensitive. The problem with this man is that he is very charming, responsible, funny, likeable, and established, but I will not let this continue to fool me. Other abusers that I have ran into are the player and Mr. Right.
I hope that noone is offended/angry that I have listed these abusive types, but I do hope to use this blog as a way to communicate with those involved in the situation. I just hope that they know that they are not responsible for this.

I guess you could say that this is how I am going to express my concern. If you would like to add your stories, concerns, or resources to this site, it would be wonderful!
Don't be the victim again.